Nearly a third of those over 65 have now taken a mobile phone self-portrait -
or 'selfie' - a study suggests.

The survey also found that over half (51 per cent) of adults in the UK had taken a selfie, despite only 29 per cent of respondents knowing what the term meant.

While the self-portraits were most popular among the younger generation, with three quarters of those aged 18-24 having taken a selfie at some point, 29 per cent of those aged 65 and over also admitted to having done so.

Brits create 35 million selfies a month, according to estimates from the study.

Suzy Watson, a spokesperson for HTC, which commissioned the poll, said: “Selfies have been made popular by young people, but what is fascinating is it's now growing in popularity with older users too.

“With celebrities like Rihanna and Ricky Gervais embracing the format, the phenomenon is set to continue gaining popularity.”

She added: “2013 has definitely been the year of the selfie. Consumer interest and technology has created a perfect storm for this to continue. It’s not just about vainity, but it’s about sharing with friends and family.

“So although ‘selfie’ did not make it into the Oxford English Dictionary this year, I would be surprised if it is not included next year.”

But selfies still have some work to do if they wish to shed their reputation as a narcissistic pursuit.

The top five phrases associated with people who take selfies were attention seeking (34 per cent), vain (28 per cent), self absorbed (26 per cent), fun loving (26 per cent) and confident (21 per cent), according to the survey.